1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a full-body mattress with an inclined portion for the prevention of conditions which may have a negative impact on health and for the improvement of the health and comfort of a user. Also, the present invention relates to the full-body mattress in combination with a full-body mattress covering adapted to fit the full-body mattress.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to prevent or treat a variety of medical problems, doctors and medical professionals often recommend sleeping with the head and/or torso elevated at a certain height or sleeping on an inclined surface at a certain angle. This is particularly important in the care of an infant or incapacitated person who might be susceptible to a choking hazard in the form of regurgitated matter.
One solution for achieving the desired elevation or angle of inclination involves placing a stack of bricks or blocks under one end of a bed. Also, parents of infants are told to place rolled-up towels or blankets under the crib mattress supporting the infant. These solutions are not permanent, are often difficult to implement, and do not provide a uniform sleeping surface. Furthermore, the use of bricks, blocks, towels, blankets and the like do not lend themselves to achieving the precise height or angle recommended by doctors and medical professionals.
Another proposed solution for achieving the desired elevation or angle of inclination is a bed having a mechanical or electrically operated device for raising one end of the bed. These beds are often expensive. Furthermore, in the case of an infant or incapacitated person, such beds cannot be operated without the assistance of a nurse, parent, or caretaker.
A variety of devices have been proposed for inclined mattresses, pillows, cushions and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 433,905, issued Aug. 5, 1890 to Muller, describes a mattress made in sections, one of the sections being inclined. U.S. Pat. No. 1,382,531, issued Jun. 21, 1921 to Newborn, describes a pneumatic inclined mattress. U.S. Pat. No. 1,432,875, issued Oct. 24, 1922 to Lavagetto, describes an inclined mattress with an upwardly extending rolled rim. U.S. Pat. No. 2,182,861, issued Dec. 12, 1939 to Albert, describes an adjustable treatment pad made in sections. No dimensions or specifications are given for the angle of the incline of the Muller, Newborn, Lavagetto and Albert devices, or for the difference in height of the devices between the lowest and highest points.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,009,172, issued Nov. 21, 1961 to Eidam, describes a head suspending pillow. U.S. Des. Pat. No. 220,823, issued May 25, 1971 to Howe et al., describes a contoured pillow. The Eidam and Howe devices are pillows, not full-body mattresses, and no dimensions or specifications are given for the angle of the incline or the difference in height of the pillow between the lowest and highest points.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,308, issued Mar. 14, 1972 to Greenawalt, describes an elevated traction pillow. The Greenawalt device is a pillow, not a full-body mattress. The depth of the Greenawalt pillow “can vary from about 6 inches to about 26 inches although a slope of 45° is quite unusual and is generally not utilized herein” (col. 2, lines 37-39). In other words, the difference in height of the incline between the lowest and highest points is between 6″ and 26″.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,150, issued Mar. 18, 1980 to Vineberg, describes an elevated mattress. Despite the name, the Vineberg device is a wedge-shaped device used on top of a conventional mattress. The Vineberg device is not a full-body mattress. The Vineberg device has a thickness from about 6⅛″ down to about 5⅞″ at the head end and, at the foot, is thick enough to provide a perceptible step up from the normal mattress, for example, in the neighborhood of one-half inch (col. 1, lines 35-38). In other words, the difference in height of the incline between the lowest and highest points is between 5⅜″ and 5⅝″.
U.S. Des. Pat. No. 271,647, issued Dec. 6, 1983 to McLeod, describes a body torso support pad. The McLeod design is for a support pad, not a full-body mattress, and no dimensions or specifications are given for the angle of the incline or the difference in height of the support pad between the lowest and highest points.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,573, issued May 19, 1987 to Fiore, describes a contoured body support structure. Like the Vineberg device, the Fiore device is used on top of a conventional mattress and is not a full-body mattress. The Fiore device is directed to aligning the spine of the person using the device in a horizontal direction. The person using the Fiore device is not resting on an incline, rather the Fiore device supports the spine and body at various locations. The thickness of the Fiore device varies between a minimum of 1″ at the foot end and a maximum of 4″ at the lumbar portion. Further, no dimensions or specifications are given for the angle of the inclined portions of the Fiore device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,163, issued Aug. 11, 1987 to Quillen et al., describes a recliner for medical convalescence. Like the Vineberg and Fiore devices, the Quillen device is used on top of a conventional mattress and is not a full-body mattress. The back and neck support of the Quillen recliner extends upwardly at an angle between 30 degrees and 45 degrees; however, this angle does not extend the full length of the recliner.
French Patent FR 2,616,641, published Dec. 23, 1988 to Broc, describes a convertible mattress. The prismatic blocks 2, 3 of the Broc mattress, when rotated about one another (FIG. 2), are disposed at an angle of 30 degrees; however, this angle does not extend the full length of the mattress. Nothing in the disclosure of Broc teaches or suggests changing the angle. Further, no disclosure is made as to the difference in the vertical height of the ends of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,171, issued Jun. 5, 1990 to Frantz, describes a contour retaining support cushion. The Frantz device is designed for use with a person in a seated position and is not a full-body mattress for a person lying down.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,625, issued Jan. 29, 1991 to Edelson, describes an adjustable personal support apparatus. The Edelson device does not support the full length of the body of a user and is not a full-body mattress. Also, no dimensions or specifications are given for the angle of the inclined portion or the difference in height of the Edelson device between the lowest and highest points.
Japanese Patent No. JP 7-246134, published Jul. 12, 1995 to Girse, describes a support cushion for stabilizing adults or small children when lying on the back, the stomach and the side. The Girse device is a support cushion and not a full-body mattress.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,368, issued Sep. 1, 1998 to Klingemann et al., describes a sleeping device for infants having trachea malacia and/or gastro-intestinal reflux. Klingemann is specifically directed to a device with an upper wall 14 disposed at an angle of forty-five degrees and the vertical height varies from 3″ on the low side to 20″ on the high side. Nothing in the disclosure of Klingemann teaches or suggests changing the angle or varying the vertical height of the ends of the device. In other words, the difference in height of the incline between the lowest and highest points is 17″.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2001/0042269 A1, published Nov. 22, 2001 to Mann, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,855, issued Jul. 23, 2002 to Mann, describe an infant bed having a tiltable sleeping surface and method of treating positional plagiocephaly, which is the deformation of the head of an infant. The tiltable sleeping surface of Mann tilts from side to side and not along the length of the bed. Also, the bottom surface of the Mann mattress is parallel to the top surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,334,442 B1, issued Jan. 1, 2002 to Altamura, describes a recumbent therapeutic support. The incline of one portion of the Altamura device is within a range of 5° and 20°; however, this angle does not extend the full length of the device. Also, no dimensions or specifications are given for the difference in height of the Altamura device between the lowest and highest points.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2002/0032928 A1, published Mar. 21, 2002 to Hynansky, describes a bed assembly with an insert for invalids. The mattress disclosed in Hynansky is conventional except for a hole therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,894 B1, issued Apr. 16, 2002 to Hill, describes a medical device for physical therapy treatment. The Hill device is designed for use with the legs of a physical therapy treatment and is not intended for use as a full-body mattress. Although an angle is contemplated by the disclosure, the angle is not disclosed and is intended to “provide an appropriate range of motion for a patient's legs when performing certain therapeutic exercises with the resilient article 11” (col. 8, lines 12-15).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,381,785 B1, issued May 7, 2002 to Mancera Browne et al., describes a dismountable and adjustable fastening device for laying down pediatric patients in an inclined position. The Mancera Browne device is directed to a device for supporting an infant on an incline and not the mattress supporting the infant. Furthermore, no dimensions or specifications are given for the angle of the inline or the difference in height of the incline between the lowest and highest points.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0116764 A1, published Aug. 29, 2002 to Plummer et al., describes a bed with adjustable positions. No dimensions or specifications are given for the angle of the incline of the Plummer pneumatic bag subassembly 424 or the difference in height of the pneumatic bag subassembly 424 between the lowest and highest points.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus an inclined mattress solving the aforementioned problems is desired.